Spreadwings
Guides
Lestidae
spreadwings, spread-winged damselflies
Lestidae is a cosmopolitan family of damselflies distinguished by their characteristic wing posture at rest. Most species hold their wings partially or fully spread rather than folded together over the abdomen. The family includes two subfamilies: Lestinae, which rest with wings partly open, and Sympecmatinae (reedlings, ringtails, and winter damselflies), which rest with wings folded. The family contains nine currently recognized genera. Fossil records extend to the Late Eocene.